J.C. Higgins - Model 101.7

lxarth · Feb 9, 2015

I just came into ownership of this shotgun. A very well kept J.C. Higgins - Model 101.7.

I'm not knowledgeable with shotguns, as I've only ever handled them. Never owned or fired one before. So as I'm looking this over I noticed that one of the barrels seems larger than that other. Not much bigger. One of them a dime could fit, in the other it can't, but just barely.

I'd like to point out that I'm not a hunter (not that I'm opposed to hunting, just never had the opportunity and don't know where to start) or a shotgunner, so I don't know much about chokes.

Can anyone help me out here? What should I be firing out of this shotgun, and why the difference in barely diameter/choke?

Thanks!

nextgenar · Feb 9, 2015

It sounds like you have a 12 gauge with one full choke barrel and 1 modified choke barrel. Check on the barrels to see if they are chambered for 2 3/4 or 3" shells. If you don't see a mark stick with the 2 3/4" let me know if there is anything else I can help with.

nextgenar · Feb 9, 2015

By the way your shotgun was made by Stevens and is the same as a Stevens model 311

lxarth · Feb 9, 2015

I read as much that it was a Stevens, but didn't want to post that in case I was wrong. It is a 12 gauge, and the barrel is marked with a 2-3/4 chamber.

Can you help me understand what a full choke and a modified choke is?

deadeye · Feb 9, 2015

deadeye · Feb 9, 2015

I would be somewhat leery of the two different diameters unless marked that way. I do not see that they were offered with two different chokes in one gun. It could be someone has put the wrong type of slug or two thru it and pulled the choke out of one.

nextgenar · Feb 10, 2015

Double barrel shotguns almost always have 2 different chokes, chokes meaning the amount of restriction that the shot string passes through, the tighter the choke, the smaller the pattern at any given distance. Do not ever fire steel shot through a full choke gun like you have there, it can cause the barrel to bulge just behind the choke. A full choke is or i should say was the tightest restriction available at the time your gun was made, while modified was the medium restriction with improved cylinder or no choke meaning no restriction. Full choke guns really worked well for waterfowl when lead shot was still legal, they still make great turkey guns using lead shot. If i were you I would go pick up some really cheap target loads for shooting your gun the first time. And blast away, you have a really great old gun there.